Method of treating alloy-steel scrap.



NUNITED STATES PATENT onnion.

PAUL-1P. REESE AND EMORY L. DIEHL, or MUNHALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHODOF TREATING ALLOY-STEEL sonar. I

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug; 25, 1914 Application filed February 7, 1911. Serial No. 607,115

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PAUL P. REESE and EMORY L. DIEHL, of Munhall, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of TreatingAlloy-Steel Scrap, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to the utilization of alloy steel scrap containing chrome, nickel, vanadium, or other alloying elements either singly or otherwise, and the invention is designed to provide a novel method of treating such scrap whereby oxidation of the expensive metals used in making alloy steels is overcome and prevented, excessive waste due to the oxidation of the alloying elements is avoided, the use of such alloy steel scrap in making an alloy steel of substantially the same composition .as that of the scrap charged into the furnace is madepo-ssible practically, and the cost of making such steel is greatly lessened. Heretofore such alloy steel scrap has been used in later steel making operations'at the expense. of losing, by

oxidation, substantially all of the alloying elements in the scrap charged intothe furnace in re-melting'in the ordinary regenerative open hearth furnace. The extent of such losses will vary depending upon the composition of the steel as some of the alloying elements used oxidize much more readily than others.

In carrying out our invention a. combination electric and regenerative open. hearthv furnace preferably having a basic lining is employed and preferably means are rovided for practically excluding inflow 0 air into the interior of the furnace. The furnace may be of the arc, resistance, are and resistance, or induction type, combined with the usual regenerators and flue connections forming part of a regenerative open hearth furnace equipment.

In the practice of treating alloy steel scrap in accordance with our improved method, a

charge ofthe alloy steel scrap, either in a cold or pre-heated state, is placed within the furnace and the charge of scrap is heated toof our method, the losses by oxidation are greatly reduced and are so small "as to be practically negligible.

lVhen the charged scrap has been heated furnace and to prevent further admission of air. After the electrodes have been adjusted, the heated scrap is then further heated by electrical energy, until the charged metal is entirely melted and brought to the desired temperature.

Such alloy steel scrap oxidizes so readily that the alloying element or elements practically disappear when the scrap is heated and melted entirely by means of an oxidizing flame or in an oxidizing atmosphere as is met with in the ordinary open hearth furnace.

To overcome or prevent the oxidation of the alloying element or elements in the steel scrap, preferably, after the scrap is heated to about the melting point the further heating necessary to melt and raise the temperature of the molten steel to the temperature desired for pouring is carried out in a non-oxidizing or neutral atmosphere and a current of non-oxidizing gases, preferably producer gas, iscaused to pass through the furnace while the'steeel is being heated or re-melted by means of the electric current. In this way a non-oxidizing atmosphere is maintained within the furnace during the time the metal is being heated from about the melting point to the pouring temperature, and oxidation other than the slight amount caused by heating the cold metal up to about the melting point is avoided.

It is found difficult to form and maintain a reducing or neutral atmosphere in the furnace bypassing non-oxidizing or reducing gases therethrough, and we form a slag, preferably early in the process, and

from time to time, as found necessary, add,

steel having a lower percentage of alloying elements than that contained in the charged I scrap and in such cases steel or steel producing materials are added to the char e in the furnace, either cold or molten, in sufficient quantities to dilute the steel scrap to bring it to the desired composition. After the heat is melted and has become sulficiently hot to pour readily it is tapped and additions made as needed in the usual manner.

The advantages of our invention Will be apparent to those skilled in the art. By the use ofour improved process alloy steels can be made from alloy steel scrap. Excessive losses .of the expensive alloying elements by oxidation are prevented and overcome and by the use of our improved method the accumulation of large quantities of such scrap is prevented and overcome.

Modifications in the temperatures employed in carrying out our improved method and changes in the construction and arrangement of the furnace may be made without departing from our invention as defined in the claims.

We claim 1. In the treatment of alloy steel scrap containing nickel, the steps consisting in heating the scrap by regenerative heat to about 1ts melting point, then further heating and melting the heated scrap by means of an electric current, maintaining a nonoxidizing atmosphere for thescrap during the melting operation, and adding reducing agents to form a reduced slag and thereby restore oxidized alloying elements to the steel.

2. In the treatment of alloy steel scrap containing nickel and'chromium, the steps consisting in heating the scrap by regenerative heat to about its melting point, then further heating and melting the heated scrap bymeans of an electric current, maintainlng an atmosphere of non-oxidizing gases for the scrap during the, melting operation to lessen oxidation of the alloying elements, and adding reducing agents to form a reduced slag and thereby restore oxidized alloying elements in the slag to the steel.

.3. In the treatment of alloy steel scrap containing nickel, chromium, and vanadium, the steps consisting in heating the scrap by regenerative heat to about its melting point,

then melting and heating the scrap to the tapping temperature by means of an electric current, maintainingan atmosphere of nonoxidizing gases for the scrap during the melting operation to lessen oxidation of a1- loying elements in the steel, and adding reducing agents tothe melted scrap to form a reduced slag and thereby restore oxidized alloying elements to the steel.

4;. In the treatment ofalloy steel scrap containing nickel, chromium, vanadium and manganese, the steps consisting in heating thescrap by regenerative heat to about its melting point, then melting and further heating the heated scrap by means of an electric current, passing a stream of nonoxidizing gases over the scrapduring the melting operation, and adding slag forming materials to the scrap during the melting operation to form a reduced slag and thereby reduce the oxidized alloying elements in the slag.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands.

PAUL P. EEEsE. EMORY E IEHL.

Witnesses:

D. L. ZACHARIAS, C. L. WILSON. 

